Fools Gold
by SuWan
Summary: Set before the games, follow Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan "Sully" through an adventure that will take them along the wandering and competing paths of past Conquistadors. After being summoned by your typical shady museum curator, Nate and Sully are on trail looking for the well known and ever allusive, Fountain of Youth. However, no journey is ever smooth for the duo as they wil
1. Foreword

**UNCHARTED**  
Fools Gold

Set before the games, follow Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan "Sully" through an adventure that will take them along the wandering and competing paths of past Conquistadors. After being summoned by your typical shady museum curator, Nate and Sully are on trail looking for the well known and ever allusive, Fountain of Youth. However, no journey is ever smooth for the duo as they will reach the ever so forth coming epiphany and surprises that the Spanish left behind in their wake.

\oOForwardOo/

This piece was inspired by my love of history and the youthful life I lived in the Dutch Caribbean isle. Also from the fact I feel this is a fun adventure I feel Nate and Sully should experience much like I did. And if you think some of the things they will go through did not happen to me? HAH! Think again, I had a very interesting childhood, and let's just leave it at that. I hope this can inspire many other fanfictions and also fans of the game series to pick up a history book, find something really cool, and apply their imagination to it for more amazing Uncharted stories!  
However I will dedicate this small fanfiction to my sister whom shared the childhood experiences with me, and my friend Jerry who pushed me to write this, so if it sucks. You can blame him!

\oODisclaimerOo/  
I do not own Uncharted, just my imaginations, memories, and minor characters along the way! Uncharted is sole property of Naughty Dog & Sony Inc. I just hope I don't make Nate and Sully too OOC.

All Characters [aside from Nathan and Sully] and events depicted in this fanfiction are solely fictional [aside from my experiences] and purely coincidental to any actual events.

ENJOY!  
Chapter 1: Good Ideas-


	2. Chapter 1: Good Idea

**CHAPTER 1:**  
Good Idea

_"A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool."_  
Edward G. Bulwer- Lytton

"Damn it Sully! Why do plans seem so much better in the head or on paper!" I know my words were out of frustration, but who couldn't be? A nice weekend trip to your local—well scratch that, a nice weekend vacation to the local tourist attraction didn't always scream 'Hey come this day only! And you might have the chance to run for your life! Firsthand experience!' The whole area smelled too heavily of diesel, cars and trucks zooming past and around as Sully and I found ourselves once again kissing the hands of lady luck. Bullets zooming by and plucking flowers or branches from the trees, I silently prayed all I would lose was maybe a few locks of hair. Pushing back some of the local vegetation I couldn't help but peek back over my shoulder to just hope that maybe our pursuing and friendly locals with guns wouldn't still be on our tails asking for a peace treaty. I'm surprised they could even keep up with us how we kept zigzagging through the foliage like maze to escape! But…then again when you have a man whose sole fashion is wearing Havana shirts of warm colors, nothing is impossible.

"Well kid! You always charm yourself into these situations" Grunted Sully panting and deciding to kick it in second gear matching my foot falls and eventually passing me.  
For a man who chews and smokes cigars, I wonder sometimes if he is even human or some steam powered machine.  
"Says the charmer himself!"  
"Why did you even think it a great god damn idea to sleep with the chiefs' daughter Nate!" I could see that cigar just snapping in half like a guillotine just hit it. "She came onto me! And you taught me best Sully!" The laugh that Sully poured out, I knew was of pride, but the glaring headshake told me still I was a fool and a kid in the man's eyes.

"Nate look out!"  
But it was already too late, my footing slipped on the dead smooth leaves littering the forest floor, not to mention the nightly rains adding to the slickness. Praying that Lady Luck hadn't given up on me as I freefell down a large hole just you know, randomly placed on the forest floor. "Nate!"

"Nate! Wake up kid!"  
"Sully?"  
"Yeah! C'mon, wake up! Don't stop here when we are almost done."  
Looking around my eyes couldn't focus on which direction Sully's voice was coming from. My head seemed to hurt too badly and I felt like I was freely floating in air. After running a marathon, such sensations I could not help but deem welcoming. "Am I dead…?"

"Yeah kid." Voice so sullen now, my throat dried at my minds idea of having Sully be the one to bring me to another life. But it seemed right, after all he and I had been through so much… I could even smell it, the perfect cigar that Sully would light when it was a calm morning or we were so deeply immersed in books of history or museum brochures with the latest exhibition.

"OW! What the hell Sully? I didn't think you would beat me in death too y'know!" Damn he got me good! Rubbing my head with a groan Sully's face seemed to suddenly materialize right before me, like it was in the Twilight zone. Frozen and wide eyed, my voice hitched in my throat. It seemed death wanted to play with me for having cheated him for so long.  
"Nate, you aren't dead. Just tangled in some undergrowth like a novice stripper. Now stop daydreaming and let's get going!" Falling to the ground with a groaning thud, it seemed this was Sully's way of giving me a rough awakening, and I wouldn't have expected any other way. A hand offered to me, I stood up brushing myself of the dirt and leaves that seemed to give me the latest guerilla territory fashion. "C'mon Nate, this way. Unless you wanna try going up and fighting the men for your woman." Walking away with his last word in, I glanced up to the large opened hole to the sky and sea of tree canopies. The distant shouting of men with their trucks purring in a steady search for us, the forest seemed to be filled with a stress that this underground cove or cave seemed to deflect with an odd peacefulness. Yeah…She wasn't worth it.

Wandering along the faintly sun spotted cave, my mind kept meandering back to clues that could help us find what would be our income. Keeping my eyes sharp, holes absently speckled the cave floor. And I wasn't ready to have a twisted ankle or go free falling again. Enough of that type of excitement for today, besides. I wouldn't want to ruin the experience for any other tourist or run away man who would love to experience the raw taste of almost pissing your pants. "Man, this place makes me feel like Alice. Are we going to reach Wonderland on the other side?" I know my sarcasm wasn't the best at times, but I knew it could help in lightening things up and the situation at hand. Besides this large cave of sorts had roots poking out everywhere! And where the sunlight was able to pour in, small plants and moss grew giving the place and even more fantasy like feel.  
"If this place is Wonderland then throw me some catnip, cause' I'm the Cheshire cat." What. Why Cheshire cat? "Sully what the hell are you talking about, besides with how much you smoke, you're more like the Ca-"  
"Nate shut up. Look over here." Pushing back my ideas to have random book club talks with Sully, I jogged over to the kneeling man grinning suddenly ear to ear. "Sully! Let's go make some money." Hand patting firmly against the man's shoulder it was time we high tailed out of there.

\oOOo/

Walking sorely off the extended ramp from the plane to the terminal, my neck felt so sore that even turning my head to glance over to the disgruntled Sully seemed to take the patience and skill of gods to not groan out and pout in the stiffness of my muscles. What was it about flying coach on airplanes that they were just so uncomfortable! Not to mention your snacks left to a bag of pretzels. Shouldering our duffle bags along, it was time to walk to the nearest American fast food chain and find a meal that screamed 'Welcome back to the United States !' And nothing better than a nice hotdog or burger to say such beautiful words better. Besides, wallets and other compartments within our duffle bags filled with cash from another job done. Why not?

"You feeling all right there old man?" Chuckling and ignoring the aching pain of my neck to slap a firm hand to the middle of Sully's back, I was rewarded with a smirk and ruffle of my hair. "Sure am kid..Sure am. Back home and ready to greet my Wild Hog, get a nice meal and hey! Maybe even find a nice lady to spend the evening with. Nothing like a woman wrapped around you—"  
"All right Sully! Just make sure you put a sock on the door knob or something." Chuckling to the lecherous thoughts of my dearest friend it was typical of Sully to want to reap in all the benefits and comforts of being home before having to rush out for rescue or fall into greed of wanting to further his ties with money. But you had to give the guy credit! He knew exactly what he wanted in life and also lived the life to his fullest.

However, it seemed that our time back home wouldn't leave for much of a break as Sully's now turned on prepaid phone rang up with life as we had settled ourselves to a burger joint in the airport. But at the moment, Sully seemed pretty busy with procuring us some good ole' fashion soda so why not take the role of secretary for now?  
"Hello?"  
"Hello Sully? It's me, Victoria." A familiar voice rang on the other side. With age some women just seemed to have a natural seductive tone on phones.  
"Victoria! How are you?"  
"Nate? Oh! Hello Nate." Her voice changed to a bit of a nervous tone. Maybe this was gonna be Sully's lady for the night, that sly old man.

"Nate, could you pass a message onto Sully for me?"  
Nodding my head in silence out of habit rather than speaking up on the phone since Victoria couldn't see me; the woman was wise enough to know that my brief silence was an approval.  
"All right Victoria, I will relay the message to him. Haha, all right. You too. Bye"

"Who was that?"  
"Your Girlfriend." That bored look he gave me just screamed for me to shut up and continue.

"It was Victoria, apparently she's got some information for us on a new job. You and your immense web like connections Sully. Where haven't you been?" Poking more a jab at his sexual life than business, Sully only grinned ear to ear, for what thoughts and reasons. I fear to know, but that hearty bite from his hamburger filled with good ole' American products gave reason and answer enough.

Chapter 2: Three lefts make a Right-

All right folks, I am going to end this intro chapter here. Things seem a bit slow right now but I wanted to start this fanfiction strong with an idea of how Nate and Sully will be. I promise to get things rolling on the main plot in the next chapter. R&R!


	3. Chapter 2: Three lefts make a Right

**CHAPTER 2:**  
Three lefts make a Right

_"Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it."_  
Benjamin Franklin

That screeching sound of breaks on tires just never gets old. Cab halting and the old tanned hairy guy driving putting the gear into park only to wait for payment, I dropped my ring that hung on its leather chain to pull out my wallet. Paying the guy and feeling generous to add a small five dollar tip. Sully and I shuffled our ways out of the cab before looking at the large building before us. The streets cluttered with busy and wandering people, everything just seemed to work like an ant hills colony. But that aside, Victoria wanted to meet at an art gallery today, perhaps she was just a classy woman with classy rendezvous points. Suddenly I felt underdressed. There stepping down the steps in a rather merry manner, was an aged woman with blond hair tinged with a bit of grey from perhaps stress as she physically looked young. Her face was not too badly touched by age but there were a few lines, for the most part she kept her make-up somewhat natural and that just made her hazel eyes shine with unyielding youth. However, her attire said otherwise, that casual black business look never could make a person look wrong or out of place in a nice looking environment. Her heels clicking along the concrete, thin wire framed glasses bounced along the bridge of her slender nose as a bright smile soon followed with a voice familiar to me from the phone.

"Victoria!"  
"Victor Sullivan! How are you?" Watching the two embrace in a warm hug if I didn't feel underdressed, I now even felt much like a third wheel. But I had to ignore such thoughts, Victoria has been a good friend and help to Sully and I, she has in some ways been our Intel and our 'seeking job' sign. Always willing to support for the thrill of a story and company for Sully, I could never tell between the two of them, who was playing who better and for what purpose. As the duo reminisced and traded their whispering deals, I however decided to be the productive one and see what was exactly so special about this art gallery.

"Trails of the Spanish." Brows furrowing and taken aback, I scratched my head in thought of how this could be remotely art. It seemed more like a History museum exhibition more than art. Even the art building of red brick and white pillars looked too docile to be a museum. So why this location…  
"Ah! Nathan! How are you! You sounded healthy on the phone! I presume Victor has been a good caretaker to you. I would say you are the spitting image of him but, you sure have his spirit!" The woman smiled so brightly with her rosy cheeks further accentuated by the fact she wore more blush than needed to. But women with age also felt the need to make themselves look flustered.

"Victoria! Such the elegant lady as usual." Bowing courteously in jest, I rose up to see the woman with glee laughing and Sully raising a brow at me like I was a fool. A playful slap to my shoulder brought me to reality as the woman turned back to Sully, and he proving to one up me or teach me a lesson. Hook his arm out for Victoria to grasp and walk with. Of course that perverted grin and wink thrown over his shoulder at me too also told me what I had suspected. Guess this means I'll be heading out to town in hopes of returning with a sock removed from the knob in time.

"All right boys! This way please."  
"Yo Sully…" A grunt was all the response I would get from him right now as he leaned back wanting to keep arms linked with Victoria. "Don't you think this place is a bit weird for a discussion of our next work? I mean yeah paintings are themselves in ways a relic but. I'm not ready to go and nab a Mona Lisa from France."  
"Nate just relax and let her explain." Charmed Sully, offering Victoria a reassuring smile as we continued along the concrete path. Sighing with a groan I can only sometimes wonder which head he thinks with.

Stepping into a garden like café straight from a romance novel, I really felt like a third wheel. All the tables seemed so rustic yet well maintained and the walls the art gallery's building covered with fresh climbing vines. All that was missing was maybe a string quartet. This area just screamed romantic lunch date but perhaps it was also the buildings way of making the area so placid along with the art vibe. "Have a seat gentlemen." Chimed in Victoria pulling out her own seat before a rather fiendish grin grew on her face, and the Victoria I knew from stories came to life.  
"Now here are some museum brochures about the collaborating exhibit that will take place here. As you see it is about the Spanish expansion of territory. More exactly, Conquistadors and their accomplishments and discoveries." Glancing to the half hazardly tossed folds of paper, Sully and myself found ourselves glancing through the main show pieces.  
"Ponce de Leon and is trails for Youth?" Lips curling downward, I could feel my five o' clock shadow in need of a trim. But what did a foolish mans quest for basically tea have to do with this?"  
"Yeah Victoria, don't you think this is a bit of a dead end already?" Seconded Sully pulling a cigar to his lips, leaning back and chewing on the butt end with confusion laced over. I swear, this man could have my back no matter the jam.

"Calm down you two, there is someone who can explain in further detail. But yes, you both have the opportunity to find the Fountain of Youth." Groaning was my only retort with hands and arms flopped limply onto my lap, leaning into my chair lazy. This woman didn't get it! What was so great about this job? "Victoria can I speak to you for a second?" Stood Sully, his cigar muffling his words as he rose his arm to direct Victoria to where he would speak with her in private.  
The two now in their own little private discussion, I had a pretty good hunch what was being said. And knowing Sully, it was something along the lines of how it was a dead end deal and that it was not worth wasting the money or time on.

Sighing my eyes found themselves wandering over the brochures again, fingers itching to hold the glossed paper and before I knew it, I was idly unfolding one of the papers about Ojeda and Ponce. Glancing over the boldly lettered titles of a duel between the two in expedition that was discovered and how it may have caused the tales of the Fountain of Youth. Along with few images of the men and their left behind remains. It was just a dead end, right?  
"Fascinating exhibit isn't it?"  
"Ppff..Oh..yeah..And who might you be." Sitting up and lowering the brochure, lips thinned in nonchalance or was it faint annoyance to having peace broken? Nonetheless, my time alone was disturbed by someone who seemed way too excited and pleased with the exhibit than I could show. Besides, I had jetlag.

"A pleasure to meet you Nathan Drake, my name is Philus Montador. Curator of the museum in joint with this project, and this project was my discovery and hard work." Sitting before me from what I could measure up was a man whom was in his mid-life. I'd like to say maybe thirty or so; his hair plastered back in its auburn hue, and dressed much like a man whom stepped out of an adventures novel. Eyes puffy with obvious nights of little rest and cheek bones pointy with a mixed descent I could assume. Dress shirt rolled up and stained with sweat, a thinly cut leather pair of suspenders aided in keeping his dress pants up. If anything, he reminded me too easily of an aged accountant. What a dynamic duo, Victoria and this man when it came to the overall look of their professions. One glance at me and one could only assume I was just a typical jobless guy and Sully… a tourist.

"You know, it never fails to creep me out how people seem to know my name before theirs. But it's a pleasure to meet you." Shaking firm hands with Philus, a halfhearted smile came into mind at the man's meek demeanor. I could tell in college and high school this guy was a riot for the bullies.  
"Mr. Drake, I do hope you reconsider this offer." Should have known the overly excited curator was the real man behind this. "This is a real discovery! A clue to the Fountain of Youth! And to imagine this entire time, here within our soil!" This guys enthusiasm was just too much.

"What is this special clue exactly?" I hated to admit it but, this man despite this eagerness seemed to know something I lacked and I just had to know this clue that eluded Historians this long. Knowing I had falling into the overzealous mans trap, that smug grin and adjust of his glasses just spoke volumes of pride from this man.  
"This…" That was a beaten down and rotting leather journal. "Journal was unearthed within Florida, where Ponce de Leon continued his journey for the Fountain of Youth. Of course this is before his leave for Cuba which is where you and I know, his life ended. However why leave this lovely tidbit of history behind?" Why indeed. "You see, I think Ponce de Leon was keeping this journal a secret."  
"Secret? Why. What did he have to lose?" I had my doubts but I also had the gears in my mind turning.

Licking his thin lips and leaning in like what he was about to reveal would be forbidden to any mere ears. Philus caressed his fingertips a bit too greedily along the journal which in turn had me at the edge of my seat. "Do you know of Alonso de Ojeda?"  
"Of course, the guy named Venezula and discovered some isles!"  
"Yes and he was also known by natives as a god of sorts." Now the gears really started to turn, and my attention was fixed between the man, the journal, and the museum brochures. "You see, Gov. Ovanda the man that he and Ojeda wo—"  
"All right Nate, let's get out of here." Grunted Sully bobbing the cigar between his lips with his hand waving me along, guess their talk was over. Victoria followed suit and held an expression of disappointment and frustration. Looks like their talk might have left their dinner date tonight canceled.

"W-Wait up Sully. Let me here this guy out—Oh! Sully. Philus. Philus. Sully."  
"A pleasure."  
"Charmed." Offered Sully with an obvious fake smile. "Looks kid, you said it yourself, this is a dead end. No use staying here and wasting all of our time."  
"Now just relax Sully, I think Philus here might be onto something." Handing a brochure over that was snatched from my fingers by a disgruntled Sully. I nodded over to the intimidated man who seemed to fumble with his words before clearing his throat for composure and nodded."Ah… yes. Both Ojeda and Ponce worked for governor Ovanda, and would report to him their accomplishments or findings. And somewhere in this, the two conquistadors formed a competition of sorts. However, don't you think it odd one was perceived a god, and the other on the trail of immortality had to hide his work and become an imbecile?" Catching on my hand rubbed my growing five o'clock, definitely need a shave or trim. "So you are telling me that Ponce might have actually found the Fountain of Youth and this entire time just hid it from a greedy Governor rather than keep it for himself?"  
"Correct."  
"I don't buy it, let's go Sully." Now it was my turn to offer a false smile and clear my throat before pushing my chair back.

Metal scraping against concrete suddenly the journal was tossed roughly at me across the table. "Take a look at the last page!"  
Sighing and shaking my head at this man's desperations, fingers twiddled with the pages of the rotted journal as my lips pursed in doubt of finding anything. "No eran hombres, tenían edades mucho más allá de mi vida y sin embargo seguía viviendo como si el día en que nacieron…"  
"Translation Nate." Demanded Sully who fidgeted not wanting to be here and I was keeping him back. "It means, 'Those were not men, they were aged far beyond my life and yet still lived as if the day they were born.'"  
"Oh no...I have a bad feeling on this one kid. Something's not right"

I had to agree, something did seem off about all of this. Why would a museum curator need the Fountain of Youth? For fame?  
"Please take this job on Mr. Sullivan and Drake. I'm prepared to pay whatever the costs are. The people of this world deserve to know of the many wonders! Don't you want to know what happened too Mr. Drake? Why he let go of fame and everlasting life for humiliation?"

Damn it, I did want to know. But, I also had an odd feeling about this job, and if not the job, than the man hiring us. And Sully usually had a good mindset and feeling about jobs. Turning to Sully whose eyes seemed to glee with the prospect of money, I figured the man too was thinking of perhaps rethinking the job. Not to mention Victoria standing behind Philus giving her womanly charm and wink. Sighing in defeat with a cautious glance to Sully, I could only give a nervous laugh and charming smile before shrugging as Sully grinned at me knowingly.  
"You have a deal Montador." Shaking hands to seal the deal between the three of us, Sully and I looked at each other in disbelief at our eagerness.  
"Well as they say, three wrongs make a right, right?"  
"That's, three lefts make a right, kid."

\oOOo/

Chapter 3: On the road again.

See, now things are rolling!  
I apologize for my Spanish, I rather Castilian but I wanted to push this chapter out faster, so if someone wants to do a better translation comment and I shall surely fix it!  
Thank you  
R&R!


End file.
